This past Saturday, in the midst of the Highly Likely festival, Take Cover Books was visited by a quartet of interdimensional travellers (as well as Friendly the Dinosaur). King Spatula, joined by guitarist Star Star the Far Star, drummer Professor Curious, and pianist the Lone Stranger, played for a room of delighted children and their bemused and bewildered parents.

Hailing from the Kingdom of Spatula, a realm far removed from our own, King Spatula and his Rubber Band purportedly travelled through an otherworldly portal to arrive at the Highly Likely festival. Just like King Spatula’s Rubber Band, I felt like I too had fallen through the same portal from which King Spatula emerged, a portal into a world populated entirely by whimsical hipsters and Wes Anderson film extras.

The band delivered their modified renditions of popular children's classics such as “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” and “The Itsy Bitsy Spider,” as well as their own original songs focused on promoting confidence, self-acceptance, and curiosity.

Their performance was unlike anything I had ever seen, and this sentiment was echoed by all those in attendance. No other show I have been to had the performers teach the audience the meaning of the word Sisyphean, or use the song “Hi, My Name is Joe (I Work in a Button Factory)” as a cautionary tale about not being unionized.

Although their music is aimed at a younger audience, the members of King Spatula’s Rubber Band are skilled musicians in their own right. Their songs, while undeniably children’s music, have clear psychedelic and jazz influences that older listeners can appreciate.

Post-performance—after King Spatula finished knighting several young audience members as “knights of kindness and courage”—I had the privilege of speaking to the king himself and asking him a few questions about him and his Rubber Band.

Jonny Milton: So I'm dying to know—How did you become King Spatula? Are you an elected official or is this a birthright position?

King Spatula: King Spatula is from the Kingdom of Spatula. And I have actually ended up in this realm through a portal. I'm not quite sure why the portal opened up, but I started travelling through this portal probably about five years ago.

When I started travelling, I was helping out with children's games at All Saints’ Anglican Church for their children's programming. So, we would play “King Spatula Decrees” instead of “Simon Says.” King Spatula would show up to judge contests and things like that. But it's only in the last year that King Spatula's Rubber Band has really come into play, and that started out last year at the Highly Likely festival. That was our very first show. And now we've played at Family Literacy Day and at Highly Likely.

JM: Could you tell me a little bit about your Rubber Band? Who's there with you? How did you find them?

KS: In the Rubber Band, there are other travellers from other realms. So there is Star Star, the Far Star, who plays the guitar. And Star Star is a shooting star from another place. He's lost. He's landed here, and he's getting used to the place. So sometimes things are new to Star Star the Far Star, but he's very good at playing guitar, and he’s very kind.

And then there’s Professor Curious, the curious professor, who plays percussion, and he's very curious, and he's curious about anything. So if somebody has a special interest or something that they want to talk about, they can talk to Professor Curious. And then we have the Lone Stranger, who's a sort of mysterious cowboy.

JM: So you don't know much about him?

KS: Not yet, but more is being revealed about the Lone Stranger with every show.

JM: If you could describe the music that you make in three words, what would those words be?

KS: Psychedelic children's grooves.

JM: What do you love the most about live performances?

KS: Live performances with very young peasants [are] very special, because very young people—children, babies, peasants—are very honest about whether or not they are enjoying the set. You get to react in real time, and they're also super stoked about a lot of things, like dancing. Grown ups don't dance as much at shows. Children dance a lot.=

JM: What would be your ideal venue for a King Spatula show?

KS: I mean, I would like to play anywhere where we are welcome and where children are welcome. Our ideal venue would be a technicolour cloud in the sky, above the many kingdoms, but a bookstore is also very good.

JM: Do you have an idea of where you’re going to take this? Does King Spatula have a five-year plan?

KS: I believe King Spatula would like to visit a number of music festivals, perhaps the Peterborough Folk Festival, or some other local festivals near and far, and I believe the Rubber Band should be able to record this for future space travellers. If anybody is also travelling to this planet in the future, I believe that they should be able to hear the things we've learned as the Rubber Band. So we would like to record this for future generations and take it on the road. 

JM: Has there been any unexpected challenges that King Spatula has faced on his musical journey?

KS: Well, the Kingdom of Spatula is cooler than it is here. So King Spatula's royal regalia is quite warm for an energetic set. That is a challenge that, even myself as a king, had not taken into account. The climate in the summer is going to be quite a challenge. All of the travellers have fairly warm regalia and formal wear. Star Star the Far Star is very warm. I mean, he is a star. And I have many robes that are very hot. I would say that is the challenge that I had not anticipated, even as a king.

This interview has been edited for clarity and concision.

This article is a part of Arthur's coverage of Highly Likely Festival, presented by Miracle Territory and Take Cover Books. Many thanks to Parker Brown for event photography during Highly Likely.